Fluid shut-off device

ABSTRACT

The device comes within the field of irrigation devices. 
     A fluid flow shut-off or control valve or device ( 1 ) wherein at least one end ( 2 A,  2 B) of said valve ( 1 ) is shaped so as to allow coupling of the body ( 2 ) with a rotatable ring nut ( 7 ) provided with a female thread adapted to be screwed onto a corresponding male thread of a component.

The present invention refers to a fluid flow shut-off and controldevice, bearing an incorporated rotatable quick-connect ring nut; inother words it is a valve or member which serves to control the flow offluids in pipes, for example by interrupting said flow or allowing itonly one direction, such as, for example:

-   -   butterfly valve    -   globe valve    -   diaphragm valve    -   plug valve    -   gate valve    -   ball valve    -   needle valve    -   control valve    -   check valve        and still various others.

The prior art provides for the ends of the valve body to be connected,for example, with safety clamps or similar systems.

Object of the present invention is to make available to the art a fluidflow shut-off and control valve or device wherein one of more ends ofthe body of said valve is shaped so as to be able to be coupled with arotatable ring nut provided with a female thread which can be screwedand assembled with the corresponding threaded part of a component with amale thread, such as, for example a manifold, a pipe fitting or thelike.

Other advantages that are shown by the present invention can be summedup as:

1. Free ring nut: unlike the usual valves with a female thread, this onedoes not require thread insulating tape in that it includes a fixedgasket which further reduces assembly times.2. The gasket is fixed in the ring nut by three protruding lips whichavoid accidental loss of said gasket.3. The shape and structure of the gasket allow the use of pipes ofdifferent thicknesses.4. Unlike the usual valves on the market, the free ring nut allowsassembly and removal of the valve body without the need to rotate theentire valve.5. Positioning of the valve body: unlike the usual valves on the market,the free ring nut allows the desired positioning of the valve body atthe end of screwing.

Said objects and advantages are achieved by the fluid flow shut-off andcontrol device of the present invention, which is characterised by whatis set forth in the claims below.

These and other characteristics will be made clearer by the descriptionthat follows of some embodiments illustrated, purely by way of nonlimiting example, in the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a fluid flow shut-off and control valve ordevice of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows the valve of FIG. 1 sectioned along the plane of sectionA-A,

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the sectioned valve of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a rear view of the rotatable ring nut with female thread tobe associated with the valve body.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 the numeral 1 indicates generallya fluid flow shut-off and control member, or valve, according to thepresent invention.

To be more precise, said valve 1 comprises, as is known, a body 2wherein is formed the section S for passage of the fluid to be shut offwith an appropriate means, controlled by means of a hand lever 3.

The body 2 extends axially so as to define two opposite ends denoted byreference numerals 2A and 2B, for connection to the pipes.

Whilst the end 2A is of the known type, adapted to achieve, for example,coupling with a safety clamp or similar systems, the end 2B is shaped soas to allow coupling of said valve 2 with a rotatable ring nut 7,provided with a female screw which will screw onto the correspondingthreaded part of a component with a male thread.

More precisely, the end 2B of the body 2 bears a flange 4 with twocouplings or projections (4A, B) parallel to each other and adapted toengage corresponding teeth 8 disposed in a circle in the inner space 10of the ring nut 7 (FIG. 4).

The front projection 4A, that is the one adjacent to the end of the body2, chamfered to facilitate entry of the teeth 8 into the flange 4 duringassembly of the ring nut 7 with the body 2, is adapted to ensure nonreturn of said ring nut, whereas the rear projection 4B, that is the onesituated between the first projection 4A and the handle hand lever 3,avoids sliding of the ring nut 7 on the body 2, holding the device 1 inplace during rotation of the teeth 8 on the flange 4.

As stated previously, a female thread 10 and a conical gasket 9 the flatseat of which allows the use of pipes of different thicknesses aresituated inside the ring nut 7.

The conical gasket 9 has at least one protruding lip 11 (FIG. 3) thatengages in the female thread 10 of the ring nut 7 to prevent accidentalloss of said gasket, before assembly of the ring nut on the valve body.

In the example reference is made to a valve 1 with a ring nut 7 on oneend but it is obvious that this arrangement does not limit theprotection requested since the ring nut can be situated on both of theends illustrated.

1. A fluid flow shut-off and control device (1), of the type comprisinga body (2) within which is formed the section (S) for passage of thefluid to be shut off with a suitable means controlled by means of a handlever (3), the body (2) defining two opposite ends (2A, 2B) forconnection with the pipes, characterised in that at least one end (2A,2B) of the body (2) is shaped so as to allow coupling of the body (2)with a rotatable ring nut (7) provided with a female thread (10) adaptedto be screwed onto the corresponding threaded part of a component with amale thread.
 2. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that atleast one end (2A, 2B) of the body (2) comprises a flange (4) with twocouplings or projections (4A, 4B) parallel to each other and adapted toengage corresponding teeth (8) disposed in the inside space (10) of thering nut (7), a first projection (4A), adjacent to the end of the body(2), being chamfered to facilitate entry of the teeth (8) into theflange (4) during assembly of the ring nut (7) with the body (2) andensure non return of said ring nut, the second projection (4B) beingsituated between the first projection (4A) and the hand lever (3) toprevent sliding of the ring nut (7) on the body (2) and to hold thedevice (1) in place during rotation of the teeth (8) on the flange (4).3. A device according to claim 1, characterised in that the ring nut (7)comprises within it a conical gasket (9) the flat seat of which allowsthe use of pipes of different thicknesses.
 4. A device according toclaim 1, characterised in that the conical gasket (9) has at least oneprotruding lip (11) which engages in the female thread (10) of the ringnut (7) to prevent accidental loss of said gasket.